2009 is already shaping up to be Star Trek’s return to big retailers, including exclusives. Diamond Select Star Trek toys are now starting to show up at Toys ‘R Us stores across the United States, including a number of new exclusives (in addition to the very cool Khaaaannnn! Admiral Kirk). We have details, images (and new info on an Amazon.com exclusive as well) below.

Newly available DST figures and exclusives
Starting to ship to the fans this week from retailers (such as Entertainment Earth) is the long awaited Kirk and Spock action figure two pack from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. This set includes Kirk in his white two tone Admiral’s outfit and Spock in his gray Starfleet uniform.

New DST Kirk and Spock TMP figures (available widely)

And now Toys ‘R Us has an exclusive variant of this set. Instead of his admiral’s outfit, the TRU set features Kirk in his gray fatigues.

TRU exclusive TMP Kirk and Spock variant
(click to see larger version at PlayTrek)

And the previously announced Star Trek II Admiral Kirk "Khaaan" figure is also now available at TRU stores. Here it is with packaging

In addition to exclusives, Toys R Us is also carrying previously released Trek items from Diamond Select, but now available in the new unified packaging. So far they have previously released TOS figures of Kirk and Spock.

TOS Kirk and Spock figures with new packaging available at TRU

None of the TRU exclusives are available online (or at least not yet). The plan is to have the Trek DST exclusive at all Toys R Us stores, but they are just arriving over the next few weeks. Use the Store Locator at toysrus.com to get local.

Packaging note: In the last ‘Collective’ Trekmovie suggested that CBS adapt the new unified packaging to have the ‘corner photo’ be reflective of specific item. Now we can see that this is being done to some extent (with the TMP exclusive), but not consistently (the STII figure uses a TOS image). Hopefully the approach used for the TMP figures becomes the norm, especially for the non-TOS items. Also of note is that TRU exclusive items are easily identifiable as they feature a sticker with the TRU logo.

Amazon Sits in the Exclusive Chair
Toys R Us isn’t getting all the exclusive action. Amazon.com has an another interesting exclusive item from DST, the James T. Kirk and Electronic Captain’s Chair (Trouble With Tribbles Edition). Over the last couple of years DST has put out a number of ‘character in chair’ sets including Captains Pike, Picard, Kirk and Commander Riker. The Amazon exclusive edition will feature an electronic captain’s chair with phrases and sound effects from the "Trouble With Tribbles" episode. The chair will also feature lighted display panels. While no picture is yet available, the item is available for preorder at Amazon.com for $29.99 for February. A new regular electronic Kirk in chair set arrives this month at various retailers (and can be pre-ordered at Electronic Earth for $29.99.

Electronic Kirk in chair (standard version pictured)
Amazon.com will have exclusive ‘Trouble With Tribbles’ version

There will be more DST exclusive items available at retailers such as TRU and Amazon during the next year. Trekmovie previously reported on a Where No Man Has Gone Before version of Sulu that will be a retailer exclusive during the year.

Borg Update – available for pre order
For fans of Star Trek Voyager or the Borg, Entertainment Earth now has the new DST Borg line available for preorder for $64.99. The set of four, including two versions of Seven of Nine, a Borg Drone and ‘1/2 Borg Crewman,’ will be shipping in May.

I just got my “Khaaan! Kirk” figure at Toys R Us last night. I fancy myself a collector of these things and I have to say that “Khaaan…” is the most unintentionally hilarious item of my Star Trek collection! I had no idea they were out yet, my wife and I went in purely as a lark. Imagine my surprise! They had TOS Kirk and Spock, plus the exclusive Adm. Kirk. I can’t wait for the TMP 2 pack!!!

RE 12
well it oculd be argued that way, however DST has been using that TOS image on figures from TNG and DS9 (as noted John’s last column). There is a way to do unified packaging, while still having some individualizing. John and I agree that they have taken a big step in the right direction. The color, logos, etc are all great and helps identify Star Trek products on the shelves, however that one element ‘the kirk spock tos corner image’ would be best to be a ‘variable’ and not the same on all products (which is how they do it with Star Wars products, which everyone would agree is ‘best in class’ when it comes to franchise merchandising)

I got my TMP 2 pack (w. Adm. Kirk in the 2 tone uniform). A couple things to note: The head sculpts for both are from the TWOK figures, but Kirk’s face looks better and the pants are reused TNG legs. They don’t have that pinched look or whatever you call it on the bottom parts of the pantleg. Now I may have to get the stanard uniform Kirk 2 pack. I would’ve prefer to have him in that short sleeved shirt though…

It would have been sweet if, for the TRU exclusive set, they could have slapped that snazzy black “rendezvousing with a starship” travelling-slash-burial robe on Spock so that there was something unique about both figures.
Still, its fun either way. I love uniform variants.

I want a full set of TMP crew so badly! I have no problems if they re-use TWOK heads and TNG legs to make that happen. I ordered my figures from Forbodden planet about 9 months ago but the website says they aren’t expecting to get them in until February? I’m getting a little panicky that everybody else seems to be getting them now.

I honestly think there’s never been a truly decent ‘iconic’ Kirk figure. I only want one ‘Star Trek’ figure and it’s a recognisable Jim Kirk, I don’t even mind which uniform he’s in. The TMP one comes the closest since (ironically) the original TMP one.

“I guess Diamond Select is trying to make as much money off their license on the “old” Trek before “new” Trek comes along and consigns it to the dustbin of toy history!”

I’m sure “old Trek” and its commercial viability will survive the rise and fall of “new Trek”, just as it survived the rise and fall of TNG and DS9, and the commercial and creative flatlines that were Voyager and Enterprise. Forty-three years on, no Nu-Trek project has eclipsed the original series and there’s no reason to think the reboot movie will either. Ten years from now “Star Trek” is still going to be first and foremost about Shatner’s Kirk and Nimoy’s Spock.

We’ve never had a proper full TMP crew before though. The originals (Mego?) only had Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Decker, Scotty, & Ilia. Playmates brought out a few more Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Decker, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov (plus the Ilia-bot which I don’t count).

An Ilia/Decker two-pack would be cool – especially if Ilia is in her duty uniform. A McCoy/Chapel two-pack would be cool too – it’s about time Majel’s contribution was recognised again, bless her.

I shall be buying spare bodies just in case we only get a few but can’t do much if they don’t bring out a female duty uniform. I’d be happy to swap some Twok heads myself to complete the team. Plus if I feel like it I can swap a few other heads to make up crew from the Rec Deck scene – got a few-hundred to choose from, including andorians, vulcans, tellarites, saurians, rhaandarites, arcturians, and betegeusians.

I’m really keeping fingers crossed that they keep going for a bit with this line.

I was at our local TRU and they didn’t have anything. The guy there said they got a couple and they were gone immediately. I hate when collectors go in and take everything off the shelf so they can go and sell it for more.

Re: #41 – Bill, you and I are pretty simpatico, judging by most of your posts. I agree that classic Trek won’t be killed by Nu-Trek. I was just having a laugh at the expense of the licensees, whom I’m imagining are fearing that once this new, improved Trek hits the theaters, the classic stuff will no longer be in demand.

42 – Dude, I like the TMP uniforms too but… the Gestapo was a plain clothes, civilian dress organization, except in occupied territory, when its members were encouraged to wear their standard wehrmacht greys. Which look absolutely nothing what-so-ever like the II – VI uniforms. Not in shape, cut, colour or arrangement.

I got the last admrl. Kirk and TOS Spock at my TRU. They had 2 TOS Kirks left. Hopefully there was enough local interest besides myself (I’m not in a big city) to support my store keeping up with these. Ahh, to rewind things about 15 years…I remember a ton of shelf space w/ all the playmates TNG figures and ships and role-playing and sets…Ahh, sweet nostalgia. Not that things have changed much, excpet back then I was buying toys and now I’m a “collector”.

I normally don’t openly complain about Trek merchandise, but I just received the Kirk/Spock 2-pack and must say that I’m rather disappointed with the quality. The articulation is awful. The stances of the figures is a bit wonky that makes them look awkward. They’ve recycled 80% of these figures. The arms and legs are from the TNG Data figure and the heads and accessories are from DST’s TWOK line. I’m wondering how they can justify such a high price tag on these?! Is anyone else out there as disappointed as I am?

I honestly can’t recommend the grey AA/DST phaser enough…for one simple reason: Their standard blue body and black handle phaser is all wrong…the Hero phaser was never blue, but rather grey (with a *slight* blue tint)…and with a dark grey (black looking) handle. However, when HMS made the prop phasers for the DS9 episode ‘Trials and Tribble-ations’, they went with this all grey scheme…grey body, grey handle. This colour scheme also appears in late season 2 and 3 TOS episodes. If you search google images for the ‘trials and tribble-ations phaser’, you will see that it is very close indeed to this Toys ‘R’ Us exclusive DST all grey phaser. So for fans who love TOS but also have a soft spot for DS9, this is the phaser for you.

Along with DST’s now rare black body/white handle variant (featured in early season 1 TOS), this grey phaser is the most accurate yet in terms of screen use. I won’t mention the ugly green body/gold handle variant…the sooner we forget that one the better (still good for painting and modding though)